A hospital-acquired infection (HAI), also known as a nosocomial infection, is an infection that is acquired in a hospital setting or any other healthcare facility. To emphasise both hospital and nonhospital settings, it is at times referred to as a healthcare-associated infection (HAI or HCAI). HAI`s are by far and large a major source of illness and death and can have an overwhelming emotional, financial, and medical cost.
HAIs can be acquired in any health care setting and is not necessarily limited to hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, ambulatory surgical centres, dialysis centres, outpatient clinics, or any other clinical settings. The causative agents for HAIs can vary from bacteria, fungi, viruses, to less common pathogens. Factors which promote the risk of HAIs include: catheters (bloodstream, endotracheal, and urinary), surgery, injections, health care settings that aren't properly cleaned and disinfected, the spread of communicable diseases between patients and healthcare workers and misuse or inappropriate use of antibiotics.
Some of the common HAIs that people acquire are mostly: central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), clostridium difficile infections, pneumonia, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, surgical site and urinary tract infections the most common among them being catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI).
One way to control and tackle HAI is to implement certain specific Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) measures within the health care sectors, and to have an evidence-based management approach. Some of the other preventive measures in place in many health care facilities are a standardized hand hygiene and sanitation protocols regarding uniforms, equipment sterilization and washing. Thorough hand washing and/or use of alcohol rubs by all medical personnel before and after coming in contact with patients has proven to be one of the most effective ways to combat HAIs. Focused HAI prevention activities and antibiotic stewardship go hand in hand to curb and hopefully eradicate HAIs.
Click here to view our list of clinician researchers from various SingHealth institutions that specialises in different research areas within the field of HAIs.
